New gardener new raised bed

Hi,

I've read the other newbie posts about their new veggies/raised beds.

I had started my lettuce/radish/carrots/spinach from seed on window sills. Following the advice on this site, I pricked them out and kept in doors. Yesterday I built a 1meter sq raised bed, with cover and planted them all out. Today they all look terrible.

They are all flat and sad looking - plus something (probably a dam slug) has got in and eaten a bit off every lettuce and spinach leaf! Slugs are a nightmare in my clay garden but some of these holes are in the middle of the leaves and there a holes in the soil.

Is it too cold? why are they so flat?

thanks for help

S

There was a frost here earlly this morning maybe your plants were caught. We have lettuce, beans,peas,carrots onions, all planted out in a raised bed but we protect them over night with a cover that fits over the whole bed.

Hi Sinevegas,

Don't get disheartened, I'm a born again gardener (I had no garden of my own for nearly 5 years.... long story!) but this is the 1st year I've grown any veg, everything was a bit late going in because of when we moved. We're on caly and we've had the same problem with the slugs and they wiped out my beetroot so I replanted and they are doing ok this time. I do confess to Organic slug pellets on the cells to give them a head start.

I've got containers which aren't very big, (old recycling boxes that have a bit of a crack in the bottom but don't tell the council!) with carrots just popping through, thought the depth might stop the carrot fly but we'll see! and we've just got some cheap clingfilm to go over them and stuck a couple of holes in in case it rains so it doesnt get weighted down. then we just roll it back on the roll when we're done.... ok sometimes we chuck it if its really squished up!

one thing I do know is that it feels great when you raise anything from seed, I've done herbs before, it's good for your soul!

Thank you both so much. Susan we haven't had frost down in the south west. ;o(

Moonlit - thank you I was away this weekend and only one lettuce has disappeared and a few other nibbles. They have started to perk up now, has got v warm now though.

I still have a few plants on the window sill and they are 10 times the size, so keeping them there as long as poss. It is awesome growing stuff from seed - apart from when you keep your foot high sunflowers in the dinning room to protect them from the slugs and your pesky dog eats them! sewed more so fingers crossed.

thanks again

Yes.... thats the sort of thing my dog would do!

I did wonder if you hardened them off before putting them outside?  If they went straight from your nice warm wndow sill to the raised bed, that could be a very big shock for them.  it is a good idea to put the pots, trays or whatever, outside by day for a few days, then at night but covered with a fleece or so, then plant them out into their final growing place.  Keep a bit of horticultural fleece by the door, so if it looks cold on the forecast, you can nip out and gently cover them over.  In fact, if you are growing carrots, you can keep them covered all season, the water and air get in but the dreaded carrot fly doesn't. 

Ah! Thank you Bookertoo.

No I didn't harden them off. They are much perkier now with lots of sun. I will do that with my remaining flowers though. So much to remember! I've pricked out the last batch of lettuce and put back on sill. I have a little greenhouse thing. could they go in there?

Yes, as long as you remember to open it or take them out if we get the promised warm weather tomorrow - they can cook in a small covered house - no way it gets easy does it - but all so well worth it when you have pretty things to look at, and good fresh things to eat from your own efforts.